System and Method for Object Matching Using 3D Imaging

ABSTRACT

A system and method utilizing three-dimensional (3D) data to identify objects. A database of profiles can be created for goods, product, object, or part information by producing object representations that permit rapid, highly-accurate object identification, matching, and obtaining information about the object. The database can be part of a different recognition system than the system used to identify the object. The profiles can be compared to a profile of an unknown object to identify, match, or obtain information about the unknown object, and the profiles can be filtered to identify or match the profiles of known objects to identify and/or gather information about an unknown object. Comparison, filtering, and identification may be performed prior to, subsequent to, or in conjunction with other systems, such as image-based machine learning algorithms.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 16/563,565 filed Sep. 6, 2019, currently pending and titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBJECT MATCHING USING 3D IMAGING, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 15/350,003 filed Nov. 11, 2016, granted on Sep. 10, 2019, as U.S. Pat. No. 10,410,043 and titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PART IDENTIFICATION USING 3D IMAGING, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/354,603 filed on Jun. 24, 2016, now expired, of the same title, the content of each is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, as if fully restated herein.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention deals with three-dimensional (3D) scanning technology, such as active structured light or photogrammetry, which produces object representations permitting rapid, highly-accurate object identification and matching of the object to an object in a database which is not afforded by traditional two-dimensional (2D) camera imaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Prior Art

Selling of objects, products, or goods, such as, but not limited to, clothing, housewares, groceries, and replacement parts is a huge business, and an automated approach to identification and matching of the goods to information stored in a database is long overdue. Almost every industry today shares the common problem of maintaining repair or replacement goods, objects or parts for rapidly expanding product lines. Products are constantly changing; for instance, becoming more energy efficient, more current in fashion trends, or more technologically advanced. Over time, the ability to identify and repair specific goods, products, or product lines has become increasingly difficult. For instance, for replacement parts, each new line of products, say hardware, for instance, adds a multitude of replacement parts to a seemingly endless list that continues to accumulate for decades. The sheer volume of information is often overwhelming for all but the most expert individuals in a particular field. Only such experts possess the knowledge and experience necessary to identify these parts, and obtaining that knowledge requires years or decades of exposure to the lines. Goods, products, or parts identification has thus largely become a lost art, which has led large retailers to only attempt identification, and achieve finding a replacement or matching part for only the most common and readily available items.

A prime example of these trends is found in the plumbing parts industry. An active plumbing parts market began in the 1920s as residential plumbing became commonplace. Originally plumbing manufacturing was a localized industry, but over time some brands grew to be regional and national, dramatically increasing the number of fixtures in the field and, in turn, the difficulty of parts identification. As product lines have evolved, many manufacturers have failed to keep track of their own parts for discontinued lines. Furthermore, in the past two decades, imported products sold through home centers have flooded the market; these fixtures have virtually no manufacturer support in terms of parts identification or inventory. Finally, because the plumbing industry has become a fashion industry, entire product lines can change at the whim of fashion trends, compounding the difficulty of parts identification further. Some manufacturers still maintain some of their obsolete parts, and non-OEM manufacturers have replaced many thousands of discontinued items. As a result, today there are decades of parts available, but average consumers and distributors have no way of identifying these parts quickly and accurately. In the present exemplary method, a massive cross-referenced database of thousands of plumbing repair parts has been created, but even this database is so massive that only an expert can sift through it efficiently.

A number of recognition methods have been developed that rely solely on images both for off-line database models and for online recognition with a few significant differences from that proposed herein. Firstly, the presently available systems capture only a two-dimensional (2D) projection of an object, with no depth information. The third dimension must be inferred indirectly, for instance by using a very large number of photographs at different angles to train each object type, or is not used at all, severely limiting performance. In addition to lacking depth, 2D projections also carry no notion of absolute scale, meaning that it is impossible to determine the true physical dimensions of an object solely from images in meaningful real-world units such as inches or millimeters. There is an inherent ambiguity that couples the actual object size with its distance from the camera; i.e., a part that is twice as large imaged from twice as far away will look the same in a photograph, and thus cannot be distinguished.

Secondly, the appearance of objects in photographs is subject to many external and uncontrolled factors that can dramatically alter measurements from one image to another, and thus makes recognition even more challenging. Environmental lighting causes reflections and glare, casts shadows, and changes the apparent color and lightness of object surfaces. Radiometric characteristics of the imager itself, including color response curves of the photodetector, white balance and gain adjustments, aperture and shutter settings, focus, etc., also affect object appearance, sharpness, and color. The perspective and distance, from which an object is viewed, along with geometric lens properties of a camera used in taking the photographs, can distort the object's visible shape, vary its appearance, and cause self-occlusions that differ from image to image.

Two 2D parts recognition solutions currently available are provided by:

-   PartPic -   75 5th St. NW Suite 2240 -   Atlanta, Ga. 30308 -   partpic.com/and -   FindBox -   BundesstraBe 16 -   77955 Ettenheim -   findbox.de/en

The exemplary 3D part recognition system of the present invention allows for quicker, and far more accurate product identification than afforded by 2D scanning, with minimal user training.

With respect to data acquisition non-contact 3D scanners fall into two broad categories: passive sensing, such as binocular stereoscopic vision or monocular structure-from-motion (e.g., photogrammetry), which uses only cameras; and active sensing, projecting light onto scanned objects and measuring the response with a camera to infer depth. Active scanners can be further partitioned into two subcategories:

1. Time of flight. Pulses of light are generated by an emitter, and a photodetector or camera measures the phase shift and thus the time taken for the pulse to travel to the object and return. This time is directly proportional to the distance from the emitter to the scanned surface, allowing range values to be easily computed. Line scan ranging devices use a single laser beam combined with a spinning mirror, and thus only measure a single bearing range pair at each sample, while area-pulsed devices use a broader wave front and thus can measure range over an entire photodetector array at once.

2. Structured light. A projector, typically a laser diode or digital light processing (DLP) device, emits a known pattern of light, such as a stripe, dot array, or fringe pattern, that illuminates the scanned object's surface. A precisely calibrated camera records the reflection of this pattern, and the degree of measured geometric deformation of the pattern allows calculation of the surface's shape.

Raw output formats of individual scans include bearing range sequences, depth images, and point clouds. Most scanning systems also allow placing the scanned object on a turntable, or physically moving the sensor around the object, to collect multiple scans so that all surfaces are visible. Software can then automatically “stitch” the different views together into a single coherent model, which can be exported to a variety of standard formats, including regularly sampled 3D point clouds or watertight meshes consisting of vertices and triangles. Red-green-blue (RGB) color values from the scanner's imager can also be assigned to each point or mesh vertex to form texture maps that encode the visible appearance of the object's surfaces. Under controlled conditions, high quality scanners produce very detailed 360 degree object models with sub-millimeter resolution, precisely capturing even very fine scale features such as screw threading and surface embossing. Furthermore, models can be acquired very quickly, especially by area pattern structured light scanners that image large portions of the object's surface simultaneously. These qualities make 3D imaging and/or scanning viable for large scale parts database acquisition and for discriminating between multiple parts with subtle shape differences.

With respect to part identification via 3D scans, a number of methods have been developed in the scientific literature for recognizing objects based on their 3D shape. A prototypical object recognition system operates in two phases:

-   A.1. Training. This is an offline process and is only required when     new object models (or part SKUs) are added. The recognition system     is fed a series of well-curated, labeled scans of the objects to be     recognized, and constructs or “learns” a database that associates     each object label with a summary representation or model of that     object, typically consisting of features such as spatial dimensions,     3D point clouds, volumetric, parametric 3D, and/or geometric     descriptors. The training process can also comprise building feature     indexes and/or learning classifiers, such as partitions of the     feature space or weights in a neural network, over all models for     more efficient recognition. -   A.2. Query. This is an online process that is invoked whenever an     unknown object or part is to be recognized. The system converts a 3D     scan of the “query” object into a summary representation     commensurate with that stored in the training database. The method     then proceeds to determine a score, probability, or other degree of     similarity between the query object and each of the learned models     in the database; similarity can be determined using any of a number     of approaches, such as exhaustive comparison, indexing/hashing,     bag-of-words retrieval, application of a classifier, or propagation     through a neural network. The system then reports an ordered list of     the top matching labels and their associated scores. -   B. Two key factors in recognition system performance are object     representation (i.e. features) and matching criteria (i.e. method by     which features are compared). There are several broad choices for     recognition strategies, including: -   B.1. Hierarchical. A cascaded series of rapidly-computed attributes     that partition the database into a tree-like structure. Within each     subsequent level of the tree is a finer degree of specificity. This     permits very efficient query even with a very large number of     models. -   B.2. Holistic. The entire object, for instance in the form of a     point cloud or summary descriptor feature, is matched against the     database, for instance exhaustively, via indexing, or via a learned     classifier. This method works best for rigid, non-articulated object     types. While exhaustive matching is highly accurate, it can be     somewhat slow, and some types of matching may depend on precise     object-to-object alignment. -   B.3. Feature-based. A set of local geometric descriptors is computed     for each object model and for the query object in the form of     multidimensional feature vectors, optionally with associated 3D     spatial locations. The feature vectors extracted from the query     object are compared to those extracted from the database models,     optionally with geometric consistency criteria applied across the     set of feature matches. This method can be very fast with proper     indexing and exhibits robustness to missing information, clutter,     and misalignment.

Aspects of these strategies may also be combined in various ways to achieve desired levels of accuracy and speed. Matching methods work best when (1) objects to be recognized have predictable shape, (2) scans are of high quality and detail, (3) objects are scanned in isolation from other objects and background clutter, and (4) objects are in approximately known orientation when scanned. Under benign and controlled conditions, recognition rates can exceed 99% accuracy with very few false positives, even for large model databases. The degree of geometric similarity between models in the database is also an important factor in how reliably objects can be distinguished from one another, and the number of different models determines the speed with which results can be generated.

It will be understood that many industries, such as plumbing, automotive, fastener, marine, window and door, etc., have continually growing product lines, and as new models flood the market, the inventory of repair and replacement parts continues to grow as well. Personnel with the expertise required to identify parts across an entire discipline are increasingly rare, since acquiring this knowledge requires decades of experience. As a result, large retail stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc. teach their personnel “Priority Parts Identification” only; these are items that are most frequently requested at the store.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Generally, embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an object identification system and method comprising scanning based matching technology, wherein the use of 3D information obtained via 3D scanners, in all forms, is at least one mechanism to identify an unknown object and/or item for, at least, the purpose of purchasing the unknown item. The 3D matching of the present disclosure can identify objects using shape as a basis for first step for matching, wherein information, such as object specifications and/or descriptions, associated with the shape of an object can be housed in a database. The object identification system and method can comprise a training mechanism for a database, which queries are matched against, and can use 3D shape to eliminate unlikely matches produced by other object classification systems, such as artificial intelligent systems, machine learning systems, computer vision systems, and the like. The object identification, recognition, and/or matching approach of the present disclosure relating to part identification comprises four main components.

-   A. DATABASE: A comprehensive catalog consisting of 3D object scans     is created a-priori for training and analyzed by the system to     produce digital feature models, indexes, and/or classifiers. These     models form the reference database used by the system to recognize     query objects. A computer can be used to access the database. -   B. USER-BASED SCANNING: End users scan an object comprising unknown     information, say, for instance, price or a replacement part or parts     for the object with any electronic instrument—such as their own     mobile device capable of 3D imaging, stereo cameras (using two     ordinary cameras to create 3d scans), photogrammetry, a structured     light or time-of-flight 3D scanner, depth camera, or a dedicated 3D     scanner installed at a retail location—to form queries. A query     scan, e.g., in the form of a point cloud, 3D mesh, or depth map, is     then analyzed by the system to produce a digital profile compatible     with the database. -   C. MATCHING SYSTEM: A computerized computation system compares     features in the query profile with features in the database via     hierarchical, holistic, and/or feature-based methods. The matching     system can perform multiple queries and/or apply multiple filters to     reduce the number of candidate matches to present to a user. The     matching system can receive input from multiple databases and can     query profiles from multiple databases sequentially or concurrently.     The databases may be housed in computerized or noncomputerized     systems separate from the object identification system. The object     identification system can be a computer system and can refine a     candidate match list created by a different computer system or     software application. Candidate matches are ranked according to a     score or likelihood value. Unlikely or nonmatching profiles can be     removed from the candidate matches or candidate match list and be     filtered out of the results presented to a user. -   D. DATA PRESENTATION: Ranked match results, along with part numbers,     inventory quantity, images, and other descriptive information, can     be displayed to the user (e.g., for online order fulfillment).     Results can also be routed to various other back end services for     further processing, analytics, or visual search.

In the Plumbing section, for instance, Priority Parts are typically stems and cartridges. Most retail stores maintain inventory and are able to readily identify approximately 100 stems and cartridges at any given time, but more than 2,000 different types actually exist. It has proven nearly impossible for stores and wholesalers to maintain personnel with the requisite expertise to identify these additional 1,900 items, so most locations do not carry inventory other than the Priority Parts. As a result, the consumer is often left unsatisfied, or even forced to buy an entirely new fixture, which is both expensive and wasteful. Further, there are certain objects, products, or goods that lose their tags while being displayed for sale. As one example, certain hardware is stored in bins that, when riffled through, can cause the hardware to lose its tag and not be able to be scanned at a register. As another example, a produce item at a grocery store may suffer the same fate. The good, product, or object, which was once a known product, good, or object with identifying information attached to it, has become an unknown product, good, or object, and if it cannot be restored to being a known object, product, or good, becomes waste and is typically thrown away.

The present recognition system will solve these problems by allowing store employees and/or consumers to quickly and automatically identify unknown goods, products, objects, or parts with no prior product-specific experience. The system will accommodate a variety of user-based scanning methods, including 3D scanners placed in retail stores, consumer-grade depth cameras emerging on mobile phones, etc. The scan of the unknown goods, product, object, or part, can be compared to at least one database of profiles, though the computer system may contain multiple databases, for known goods, products, objects, or parts. The database(s) will be comprehensive, containing both common and rare items, so that identification, matching, and fulfillment do not depend on particular inventory or experience level of an employee that happens to be on hand. Users will simply place a good, product, object, or part of interest in front of the scanner, and the system will efficiently provide a ranked list of the most likely good, product, part, or object matches. The good, product, object, or part of interest does not have to be a complete or full good, product, object, or part of interest. It can be a partial good, product, object, or part of interest, and the system will efficiently provide a ranked list of most likely good, product, part, or object matches, even if only a partial 3D scan of the product, good, object, or part is available.

With respect to advantages of the system and method of the present invention, 3D scanners overcome nearly all of the shortcomings of existing image-based solutions by measuring an object's surfaces directly. They recover object shape and true size in all three dimensions simultaneously, with no ambiguities arising from distance, viewpoint, lighting, or occlusion. Because 3D scanners measure true, objective properties (physical distance) rather than apparent, subjective properties (projection and reflectance), they produce inherently more reliable observations that can be meaningfully compared for much more accurate object recognition. Furthermore, building large databases is a more straightforward process, requiring fewer observations of each object type, and models can even be obtained through other means such as CAD drawings, specification sheets, or manual entry of dimensions.

The use of 3D scanners thus affords the system significant advantages in terms of accuracy and efficiency, which allow for the building of the goods, objects, parts, or products databases much more quickly, and allow goods, objects, parts, or products to be recognized much more easily and effectively, than existing solutions, even when only a portion of the good, object, part, or product is available for scanning, or only a partial scan thereof is available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A presents a system level logic flow diagram used by the computerized system and method of the present invention;

FIG. 1B presents a system level logic flow diagram used by the computerized system and method of the present invention;

FIG. 2 presents a logic flow diagram for creation of a database of particular objects or parts;

FIG. 3 presents a logic flow diagram of database creation in connection with a part matching process of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a customer bringing in a part for identification by the system and method of the present invention, in this example a plumbing cartridge;

FIG. 5 shows the cartridge of FIG. 4 being placed on a turntable for scanning and identification;

FIG. 6 shows the cartridge being scanned by a countertop 3D scanner, as an example, creating a 3D point cloud model;

FIG. 7 shows the 3D point cloud model created by the scan of the part and the model is compared to all the cartridge models and their parameters stored in the system database;

FIG. 8 shows a screenshot of potential matching parts retrieved from the system, in order of match percentage;

FIG. 9 shows a screenshot of the highest ranking part selected and shows a button for visualization in all dimensions, if desired;

FIG. 10 shows what appears when the button of FIG. 9 is activated;

FIG. 11 shows activation of a measuring tool of the system which brings up point to point measurements for comparison with the actual part; and

FIG. 12 shows a screenshot of an order page for the correct part, which also provides a list of related parts which may also potentially be needed;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following detailed embodiments presented herein are for illustrative purposes. That is, these detailed embodiments are intended to be exemplary of the present invention for the purposes of providing and aiding a person skilled in the pertinent art to readily understand how to make and use of the present invention.

Accordingly, the detailed discussion herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor it is to be construed, to limit the boundaries of the descriptions but rather as defined by the claims and equivalents thereof. Therefore, embodiments not specifically addressed herein, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, should be and are considered to be implicitly disclosed by the illustrative embodiments and claims set forth herein and therefore fall within the scope of the present invention.

Further, it should be understood that, although steps of various claimed methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such method are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. That is, the claimed method steps are considered capable of being carried out in any sequential combination or permutation order while still falling within the scope of the present invention.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which a person skilled in the relevant art would understand such term to mean, based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein, as understood by the person skilled in the relevant art based on the contextual use of such term, differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the person skilled in the relevant art should prevail.

Furthermore, a person skilled in the art of reading claimed inventions should understand that “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. Also, the term “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list and it can be defined as “and/or”.

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures may not necessarily be to scale and certain features may be shown in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

Turning to FIG. 1A, there is illustrated therein a low level system level logic flow of a computerized system 10 diagram wherein a user has a physical good, product, object, or part that he/she wishes to identify, e.g., for the purpose of repair, replacement, matching it to a known part, product, object, or good, finding out the price of the part, or re-ordering. Use of the word “part” in this disclosure also means object, product, or good, and vice versa. Some parts may be easily identified by visual inspection 12 from information imprinted on the surface, prior experience, distinctive shape, size, etc. If such is present, and the part is visually identifiable 14, then one merely verifies that the part is correct in step 16, and takes action, ordering the proper part at 18. However, many are not readily identifiable, perhaps due to uncommon brand, outdated product, damaged/dirty condition, missing information tag, or unfamiliarity. In such a case, the user captures the part parameters with a 3D imaging device at 20. The part parameters do not have to be complete. A partial part can be submitted for scanning, or a partial scan of the part can be utilized. The resulting scan data can be transmitted at 22 to a computerized recognition system that resides either locally or on a remote network, or can be transmitted at 22 via transportable device capable of storing said resulting scan data, such as a thumb drive, external hard drive, removable hard drive, or any type of device that can be connected to the computerized recognition system.

The data is then processed to extract a profile consisting of geometric and photometric descriptors 24 suitable for part identification. The computerized recognition system compares this profile against a corresponding database 40 of previously acquired profiles, eliminates very unlikely matches 28, and ranks surviving candidate profiles according to match likelihood. The associated identifiers (e.g., part numbers) for the best matches, along with their likelihoods, are returned and presented to the user via graphical display 30. The database 40 can be an image-based neural network, and a ranked list of possible matches for that object. The computerized recognition system can extract photometric descriptors and/or features to eliminate many of the possible matches that are not the correct size, shape, proportions, etc. This can be seen as a filtering operation, or refinement, or rejection. The computerized system can further refine and generate a candidate match list that is a subset of the initial candidate list which can comprise a single best match, a set of likely matches, or a set from which the most unlikely matches have been removed.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a machine learning algorithm can be implemented to identify a broad category of item, for example whether the object is a nut or a bolt, and then further identify the exact make and model of said nut or bolt by filtering matches within a category for items.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, filtering database matches can be performed in the opposite order and several matches with identical shape but different surface appearance (brass vs. steel, differently color-coded gaskets, or distinctive markings) may be returned. The match set can be narrowed by identifying nonmatches to produce a small list of matches and/or produce a single definitive result.

If the logic flow of the computerized system 10 returns a single match at 32, the part is verified at step 16 and ordered at step 18. If the logic flow of the computerized system 10 returns more than one match at 32, then the user can interactively filter the results at 34 via the display based on manually-entered attributes and based on visual comparison of the physical part with images, 3d models, and textual descriptions of the candidates. As one example of filtering based on other criteria 34, filtering can be performed to narrow down the candidate matches list by employing a photo-based machine learning algorithm that can distinguish different finishes (silver, brass) of the same part shape. The filtering at 34 can produce a candidate list of a few or potentially one match for the object being identified. Finally, when the candidate list has been narrowed to a single matching part at 32, the user verifies the correct part at 16 and can act on the resulting identifier, for example, order a replacement directly from the catalog website at 18.

Turning to FIG. 1B, there is illustrated therein a low level system level logic flow of a computerized system 10 diagram wherein a user has a physical good, product, object, or part that he/she wishes to identify, e.g., for the purpose of repair, replacement, matching it to a known part, product, object, or good, finding out the price of the part, or re-ordering. Use of the word “part” in this disclosure also means object, product, or good, and vice versa. Some parts may be easily identified by visual inspection 12 from information imprinted on the surface, prior experience, distinctive shape, size, etc. The low level system level logic flow is similar to that shown in FIG. 1A, and provides more detail about step 46 shown in FIG. 2.

Some parts may be easily identified by visual inspection 12 from information imprinted on the surface, prior experience, distinctive shape, size, etc. If such is present, and the part is visually identifiable 14, then one merely verifies that the part is correct in step 16, and takes action, ordering the proper part at 18. However, many are not readily identifiable, perhaps due to uncommon brand, outdated product, damaged/dirty condition, missing information tag, or unfamiliarity. In such a case, the user captures the part parameters with a 3D imaging device at 20. The part parameters do not have to be complete. If the object or part is not visually identifiable, an alternative recognition system 13 can be employed to search a database 40 (see FIG. 2) comprising stored profiles of objects. If the alternative recognition system 13 comprises a profile that produces a single match 15 for the object, then one merely verifies that the part is correct in step 16, and takes action, ordering the proper part at 18.

If the alternative recognition system 13 does not comprise a stored profile that produces a single match 15, then one can capture the part with a 3D scanner 20. A partial part can be submitted for scanning, or a partial scan of the part can be utilized. The resulting scan data can be transmitted at 22 to a computerized recognition system that resides either locally or on a remote network, or can be transmitted at 22 via transportable device capable of storing said resulting scan data, such as a thumb drive, external hard drive, removable hard drive, or any type of device that can be connected to the computerized recognition system.

The data is then processed to extract a profile consisting of geometric and photometric descriptors 24, which may be obtained using photogrammetry, suitable for part identification. The computerized recognition system compares this profile against a reduced database 25 of previously acquired profiles from the alternative recognition system 13 and only consider matches found in the alternate recognition system 13, and ranks 27 surviving candidate profiles according to match likelihood by filtering or removing mismatches from the stored database 40 (see FIG. 2). The associated identifiers (e.g., part numbers) for the best matches, along with their likelihoods, are returned and presented to the user via graphical display 30. The database 40 (see FIG. 2) can be an image-based neural network, and a ranked list of possible matches for that object. The computerized recognition system can extract photometric descriptors and/or features to eliminate many of the possible matches that are not the correct size, shape, proportions, etc. This can be seen as a filtering operation, or refinement, or rejection. The computerized system can further refine and generate candidate match list that is a subset of the initial candidate list which can comprise a single best match, a set of likely matches, or a set from which the most unlikely matches have been removed or filtered out as possible candidate matches.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a machine learning algorithm can be implemented to identify a broad category of item, for example whether the object is a nut or a bolt, and then further identify the exact make and model of said nut or bolt by filtering matches within a category for items.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, filtering database matches can be performed in the opposite order and several matches with identical shape but different surface appearance (brass vs. steel, differently color-coded gaskets, or distinctive markings) may be returned. The match set can be narrowed by identifying nonmatches to produce a small list of matches and/or produce a single definitive result.

If the logic flow of the computerized system 10 returns a single match at 32, the part is verified at step 16 and ordered at step 18. If the logic flow of the computerized system 10 returns more than one match at 32, then the user can interactively filter the results at 34 via the display based on manually-entered attributes and based on visual comparison of the physical part with images, 3d models, and textual descriptions of the candidates. As one example of filtering based on other criteria 34, filtering can be performed to narrow down the candidate matches list by employing a photo-based machine learning algorithm that can distinguish different finishes (silver, brass) of the same part shape. The filtering at 34 can produce a candidate list of a few or potentially one match for the object being identified. Finally, when the candidate list has been narrowed to a single matching part at 32, the user verifies the correct part at 16 and can act on the resulting identifier, for example, order a replacement directly from the catalog website at 18.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the database 40 of the computerized system 10 used to recognize the particular object or part is created offline, and contains a set of part identifiers, such as, for example, for a plumbing valve and may be captured by any suitable means such as those at steps 42, 44 or 46. Associated with each identifier is created a geometric and photometric profile 48 compatible with that extracted from the scanned part, as well as other information such as photographs, textual descriptions, and human-readable attributes that can be used for manual filtering by the user. The database may be populated by scanning physical objects, or by other means in step 46 such as acquiring CAD models from manufacturers, inputting data from, or using, physical specification sheets, and/or using photogrammetry. Profiles are then stored at 50 to the database 40 and are derived from the initial 3d representation in the same manner as from the user-scanned part. Indexes, clustering, classifiers, neural networks, and other data aggregation and organization can also be created and stored to the database 40. Definitions of terms used herein are listed below for ease of comprehension:

-   part: is also referred to herein as an object, good, or product and     is a specific physical object with a mostly rigid 3d shape; for     instance, a hardware item such as a fastener, faucet stem, mounting     bracket, etc., or a grocery item, a product stored inside flexible     packaging, fashion item, jewelry item, electronic item, or any other     item that movable. user: the operator of the system; for instance, a     retail store employee wishing to identify a part, or a consumer     wishing to find a replacement. -   scanner: a device that can create a digital 3d model of a presented     object by measuring distance and/or appearance, e.g., using cameras,     projectors, and/or lasers. -   features: attributes of an object such as local and global 3d shape,     physical dimensions, and visual appearance represented as a series     of numeric values, which can be obtained by using a 2d camera, 3d     scanner, or prior knowledge base. -   profile: a digital representation of an object that encodes one or     more features. identifier: a unique name or tag uniquely identifying     a particular object or part, such as a product number or SKU. -   database: a digital catalog or repository of parts, along with their     identifiers and profiles, that can be queried according to various     attributes, and can be concatenated, augmented, or updated with data     from previous queries. -   match: a correspondence between the user-scanned part and a     candidate part from the database. -   likelihood: a score or probability that a particular match is     correct, or a degree of similarity between the query and the match. -   recognition: the search for and retrieval of the most likely matches     for a particular object or part from a database, as well as the     likelihood of each match. -   query: a particular object or part instance that the user wishes the     system to recognize. -   classifier: a construct, derived via machine learning or otherwise,     that assists in or performs recognition by mapping profiles to     object categories or identifiers.

The database can also be built or trained by inputting information, features, descriptors, etc. from physical specification sheets, which detail the dimensions, parameters, features, and other important information about an object.

3D information can be used at all stages, including database creation, part query, part matching, and user interaction. While other methods may share similar overall logic structure, they rely solely on digital images instead, which are inherently 2D projections of an object's true 3D shape.

-   Particular items of note:     -   (1) A digital 3D representation of the query part is acquired         (e.g., via turntable scanner or mobile device) and used for         matching by the system against the database information stored         in memory. This representation captures the part's true size and         shape in real-world units. Other methods acquire 2d images only.     -   (2) The recognition system operates using 3D data, producing         geometric shape-based (and optionally appearance-based) features         that directly encode local surface structure independent of         environment and imaging conditions. Other methods exclusively         use appearance-based features, which are derived from 2d image         projections and thus (a) have no notion of true scale; (b) have         no notion of “depth” or 3d surface structure; and (c) are         affected dramatically by illumination, shadows, camera settings,         viewpoint, and environment.     -   (3) Results are presented to the user in a multitude of formats         that consist of traditional images and text annotations (these         are the only formats returned by other methods), but         additionally present rotatably viewable 3d models stored in the         database.     -   (4) Retrieving 3D models, and encoding their true dimensions,         allow the user to further narrow the search results via         interactive inspection (e.g., manipulating the candidate models         in a 3D viewer) and via manual data entry (e.g., specifying part         length and diameter). Other methods allow only for visual         inspection of static images and textual descriptions.     -   (5) As with queries, models acquired for database generation are         also inherently 3D. This allows alternate “virtual” or “ideal”         sources such as CAD files to populate the database without         needing to obtain physical parts. Furthermore, only a single         (partial or complete) scan suffices to represent each part.         Other methods require imaging physical parts, and often involve         dozens or hundreds of examples for training.     -   (6) Also as with queries, the system extracts geometric         shape-based (and optionally appearance-based) features when         populating the database. These features are highly commensurate         with those extracted for queries because they rely on exactly         the same underlying geometry. With image-based methods, matching         query to database information is substantially more difficult         and requires much more extensive imaging of each part in order         to sufficiently capture expected variations in size, viewpoint,         and illumination.

A non-contact 3D scanner can utilize photogrammetry based modeling, with or without true 3D scale, to generate a 3D reconstruction such as a point cloud, mesh, volumetric or parametric representation, that combines information obtained from one or more photographs.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the figure depicts the computerized process 60 for (a) database creation and its use in (b) matching in more detail. In both pipelines, the input data is pre-processed at 62 to properly scale and orient the part, and to create a low-level representation (e.g., 3d point cloud and differential orientation at each point); also in both pipelines, these low-level representations are used to extract both global features at 64 and local features at 66. Global or holistic features describe the entire part and provide compact, coarse characteristics such as overall shape and dimensions, while local features encode finer shape detail localized to small regions on the part's surface, with both being stored in database 40. All features are indexed via efficient hashing and either stored to the database 40 or used to query the database 40. Other data aggregations, such as feature clustering, classifiers, learned classifiers, neural networks, or combinations thereof, are also applied and stored to the database 40.

The recognition process begins by considering all possible database models for a particular query at 70 and then applies a sequence of progressively more complex (and more selective) filters. The first of these filters, global feature extraction 72, consider only holistic query descriptors, providing a coarse classification at 74 that can be compared very quickly to those in the database 40 so as to immediately eliminate most possible candidates, resulting in set A. Next, local descriptors 76 extracted from the query part are hashed and/or classified at 78 and used to efficiently scan the database's feature index, further reducing possible matches to set B. Finally, the system can evaluate each surviving candidate in greater detail at 80 to determine its complete surface-to-surface similarity to the query; this process produces the final list of candidates, along with similarity scores that can be used for ranking and user presentation.

In addition to searching and filtering the database for similar matches, the computerized system can also refine results of, or candidate lists provided by, non-3D information based matching systems, such as artificial intelligence systems, machine learning search systems, etc. that can be web based, desktop based, or software applications available for use on mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets. 3D-based filtering and matching algorithms can be employed to remove non-matches from a first set of candidate results in order to narrow down and improve the accuracy of those results and reduce bad or improper candidates. For instance, 3D analysis can be applied to an initial set of results from a mobile app item search and eliminate those initial results that are not actually matches, e.g., when the physical shape of the candidate match is inconsistent with the physical shape of the object of the search. The searching and filtering the database for similar matches may be based on 3D image data, concatenated data or information, profiles built from data inputted into the database, hashtags, etc. This disclosure is not intended to be limited by the instructions inputted into the computerized system to search and filter the information housed in a database.

In addition to searching and filtering the database for similar matches, the computerized system can also refine results from, or candidate lists provided by, other computerized systems, alternative recognition systems 13 (see FIG. 1B), remote recognition, stand-alone identification systems, and mobile applications. The searching and filtering the database for similar matches may be based on 3D image data, concatenated data or information, profiles built from data inputted into the database, hashtags, etc. This disclosure is not intended to be limited by the instructions inputted into the computerized system to search and filter the information housed in a database. The computerized system of the present disclosure can remove non-matches from a first result set, or a candidate match list provided by a system or application outside of the computerized system, to improve the accuracy of the objects listed in the candidate list and reduce bad or improper candidates captured in the candidate list.

FIG. 4 shows a customer 100 bringing in a part 102 for identification by the system and method of the present invention, in this example a plumbing cartridge is shown as part 102. Although the example throughout deals with a plumbing part this should not be construed as limiting inasmuch as the method and system may be used in any other field where repair/replacement parts are required, such as for example in the automotive part industry, etc.

FIG. 5 shows the part 102, in the form of a cartridge, of FIG. 4, being placed on a turntable 104 for 3D imaging and identification by the system and method of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the part 102, in the form of a cartridge, being scanned by a countertop 3D scanner 106, as an example, creating a 3D point cloud model of same. Although a countertop scanner is exemplified this should not be construed as limiting inasmuch as any electronic device capable of capturing a 3D image could be used, even a future cellular phone with 3D imaging capability.

FIG. 7 shows the 3D point cloud model 108 created by the scan of the part and the model and its parameters are compared to all the cartridge models and their parameters stored in the database 40 created for the system and stored at 50 in the memory thereof. Again, this should not be construed as limiting to the versatility of the system and method.

FIG. 8 shows a screenshot 110 of potential matching parts and information about the matching parts, such as price, part number, inventory quantity available, name of the part, size of the part, dimensions of the part, or any other information that the database 40 comprises about the matching part, retrieved from a search through the database 40 in the system memory, preferably, in the preferred embodiment, ranking down from the highest match percentage.

FIG. 9 shows a screenshot 112 of the highest ranking part 114 selected and shows a link button 116 for use in presenting rotatable visualization in all dimensions, if desired.

FIG. 10 shows what appears in the next screenshot 118 when the link button 116 of FIG. 9 is activated to provide rotatability to the view of the part 102.

FIG. 11 shows a screenshot 120 including point to point measurement table 122 which may be elicited from the system and method upon activation of a measuring tool 124 of the system which brings up a point to point measurement table 122 of measurements along each axis for comparison with the dimensions of the part 102.

FIG. 12 shows a screenshot 128 of an order page comprising the part information, inventory quantity available, and price for the selected, highest ranking part 102, which order page may also provide a list of related parts 130 which may also potentially be needed.

As described above, the system and method of the present invention provide a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. In some embodiments the method or methods described above may be executed or carried out by a computing system comprising a tangible computer-readable storage medium, also described herein as a storage machine, that holds machine-readable instructions executable by a logic machine (i.e. a processor or programmable control device) to provide, implement, perform, and/or enact the above described methods, processes and/or tasks. When such methods and processes are implemented, the state of the storage machine may be changed to hold different data. For example, the storage machine may include memory devices such as various hard disk drives, CD, or DVD devices. The logic machine may execute machine-readable instructions via one or more physical information and/or logic processing devices. For example, the logic machine may be configured to execute instructions to perform tasks for a computer program. The logic machine may include one or more processors to execute the machine-readable instructions. The computing system may include a display subsystem to display a graphical user interface (GUI) or any visual element of the methods or processes described above. For example, the display subsystem, storage machine, and logic machine may be integrated such that the above method may be executed while visual elements of the disclosed system and/or method are displayed on a display screen for user consumption. The computing system may include an input subsystem that receives user input. The input subsystem may be configured to connect to and receive input from devices such as a mouse, keyboard or gaming controller. For example, a user input may indicate a request that certain task is to be executed by the computing system, such as requesting the computing system to display any of the above described information, or requesting that the user input updates or modifies existing stored information for processing. A communication subsystem may allow the methods described above to be executed or provided over a computer network. For example, the communication subsystem may be configured to enable the computing system to communicate with a plurality of personal computing devices. The communication subsystem may include wired and/or wireless communication devices to facilitate networked communication. The described methods or processes may be executed, provided, or implemented for a user or one or more computing devices via a computer-program product such as via an application programming interface (API).

Also, modifications may be proposed without departing from the teachings herein. For example, although the description deals with repair and/or replacement parts, the system and method may be used in identification of new parts as well. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims. 

We claim:
 1. A computer implemented method for use in identifying a particular object or information about the object, by using 3D image data, the computer implemented method comprising: acquiring at least one 3D scan of an object to be identified, wherein the 3D scans comprise 2D pictures used to create a 3D scan of said object to be identified; reconstructing, from the at least one 3D scan, a 3D reconstruction of the object such as a point cloud; transforming the 3D reconstruction into a plurality of descriptors; storing the plurality of descriptors in a database; creating profiles comprising the plurality of descriptors in the database; performing a candidate match search in a database based on the profiles; filtering nonmatching profiles out of the search results; and generating a list of candidate matches based on matching profiles, wherein the list of candidate matches comprises zero or more matches.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the filters to interactively filter the profiles in the database by inputting parameters for physical attributes of a particular object not readily identifiable, wherein the physical attributes comprise textual descriptions or geometric descriptors.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of descriptors comprises measurements in real-world scale units, geometric descriptors, and parameters of a known object.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the profiles along with images, text descriptions, pricing, and other associated identifying information are retrievable from the database.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising populating the database with the plurality of descriptors by scanning physical objects or parts, or by obtaining and inputting data from 3D CAD drawings, datasheets, manual entry, drawings or , physical object specifications.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the profiles are provided by a 3rd party.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising building at least one feature index and/or learning at least one classifier, wherein the at least one feature index and/or classifier is built from partitions of a feature space or weights in a neural network.
 8. A computer implemented method for use in identifying a particular object or information about the object, by using 3D image data, the computer implemented method comprising: acquiring a plurality of descriptors for an object, wherein the plurality of descriptors comprises measurements in real-world scale units, geometric descriptors, and parameters of a known object; storing the plurality of descriptors in a database; creating profiles comprising the plurality of descriptors in the database; performing a candidate match search based on the profiles; filtering nonmatching profiles out of the search results; and generating a list of candidate matches based on matching profiles.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the acquiring the plurality of descriptors comprises obtaining the plurality of descriptors from datasheets, manual entry, drawings, physical object specifications.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the acquiring the plurality of descriptors comprises receiving a candidate match list comprising the plurality of descriptors or profiles from an external source or database.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating filters from a photo-based machine learning system, artificial intelligence system, computer vision system, or direct input.
 12. A system for use in identifying an object or information about the object, by using 3D image data, the system comprising: a computerized recognition system comprising a computer, a database, at least one connection port, memory, a general network, and a remote server; logic for aggregating and concatenating data collected about a particular object, the data comprising geometric descriptors and parameters, of a particular to create a profile of the particular object in a database, wherein the profile comprises a model of the particular object, associated identifying information, geometric descriptors, or parameters for a 3D model of the particular object; logic for creating profiles based on the aggregated and concatenated data collected about the object; a means for storing the aggregated and concatenated data and profiles in the database; and logic for the computer to search the profiles, the computer being programmed to compare the aggregated and concatenated data or profiles to query profile comprising geometric descriptors and parameters of an object that is not readily identifiable to be identified from information stored in a database within the computerized recognition system; and logic for filtering the profiles, wherein the logic for filtering the profiles comprises at least one of a global feature extraction, considering holistic query descriptors and providing a coarse classification that is compared to the profiles in the database to reduce a number of candidate database part matches, or a filter wherein local descriptors extracted from a query are hashed and used to scan a database's feature index and produce a final list of candidate database part matches, along with similarity scores used for ranking and presentation to identify the object that is not readily identifiable.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the logic for filtering the profiles comprises the computer being programmed to interactively filter the profiles by inputting parameters for physical attributes of the particular object not readily identifiable, wherein the physical attributes comprise textual descriptions or geometric descriptors.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the associated identifying information comprises part measurements, prices, dimensions, or local or global geometric surface shape descriptors, which are stored as digital profiles.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the database can be populated by scanning physical parts, or by obtaining and inputting 3D computer-aided design drawings.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is selected from a group comprising hardware, jewelry, fashion, plumbing, grocery, automotive part, repair, or replacement good.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer is programmed to search the concatenated data, the profiles, and the information stored in the database, and filter the database part matches for the concatenated data and the information stored in the database.
 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising logic for searching concatenated data, profiles, and information stored in a database created outside the system.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the logic for searching comprises the computer being programmed to search the database created outside the system by connecting the database to the system via a remote network or the connection port.
 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the logic for searching comprises the computer being programmed to search a candidate match list created outside the system by connecting the database to the system via the connection port or a remote network. 